McGraw-Hill Cos.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon went to Washington almost a month ago to see if U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder would settle a criminal probe of mortgage fraud at the bank if it paid more money to resolve related civil investigations.

McGraw Hill Financial Inc.’s Standard & Poor’s unit called the $5 billion fraud lawsuit filed against it by the federal government “retaliation” for the ratings company’s downgrade of U.S. creditworthiness.

Standard & Poor’s, at the first court hearing over the U.S. government’s claims that the rating service defrauded investors, argued reasonable investors wouldn’t have relied on its “puffery” about credit ratings.

General Motors Co., four years after being kicked out of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, will heal another wound of the financial crisis when it rejoins the benchmark gauge for American equities this week.

Stocks climbed, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index returning above its record closing level, after U.S. home sales increased and investors speculated central banks will continue to stimulate the economy.